Spatial, transcriptomic, and epigenomic analyses link dorsal horn neurons to chronic pain genetic predisposition.

Key mechanisms underlying chronic pain occur within the dorsal horn. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified genetic variants predisposed to chronic pain. However, most of these variants lie within regulatory non-coding regions that have not been linked to spinal cord biology.

Mechanical Allodynia Circuitry in the Dorsal Horn Is Defined by the Nature of the Injury.

The spinal dorsal horn is a major site for the induction and maintenance of mechanical allodynia, but the circuitry that underlies this clinically important form of pain remains unclear. The studies presented here provide strong evidence that the neural circuits conveying mechanical allodynia in the dorsal horn differ by the nature of the injury. Calretinin (CR) neurons in lamina II inner convey mechanical allodynia induced by inflammatory injuries, while protein kinase C gamma (PKCγ) neurons at the lamina II/III border convey mechanical allodynia induced by neuropathic injuries.

Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on Postoperative Complications Following Laparoscopic Hysterectomy for Benign Indications.

Background: Current research pertaining to minimally invasive gynecologic surgical outcomes in the context of diabetes mellitus (DM) is limited. This study seeks to evaluate the association between DM and postoperative complications following laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign indications.

Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was utilized.

BDNF infusion into the MPN mag is sufficient to restore copulatory behavior in the castrated Syrian hamster.

Testosterone plays a key role in the expression of male sex behavior by influencing cellular activity and synapses within the magnocellular medial preoptic nucleus (MPN mag), a sub-nucleus of the medial preoptic area (MPOA) in the Syrian hamster. Although the mechanisms underlying hormonally-induced synaptic plasticity in this region remain elusive, the data suggests that an increase in synaptic density may mediate testosterone's effects on copulation. As brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an integral role in regulating synaptic plasticity and gonadal steroids regulate the levels of BDNF, we hypothesize that BDNF may mediate the effects of gonadal hormones on copulatory behavior.

Polyamine Antagonist Therapies Inhibit Neuroblastoma Initiation and Progression.

Purpose: Deregulated MYC drives oncogenesis in many tissues yet direct pharmacologic inhibition has proven difficult. MYC coordinately regulates polyamine homeostasis as these essential cations support MYC functions, and drugs that antagonize polyamine sufficiency have synthetic-lethal interactions with MYC Neuroblastoma is a lethal tumor in which the MYC homologue MYCN, and ODC1, the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine synthesis, are frequently deregulated so we tested optimized polyamine depletion regimens for activity against neuroblastoma.

Experimental Design: We used complementary transgenic and xenograft-bearing neuroblastoma models to assess polyamine antagonists.

The effects of clinical workload on teaching in the emergency department.

Background: Academic emergency physicians have expressed concern that increased clinical workload and overcrowding adversely affect clinical teaching.

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of clinical workload and attending physicians' teaching characteristics on clinical teaching in the emergency department (ED).

Methods: This was a prospective observational study using learner satisfaction assessment tools to evaluate bedside teaching.

Vocal pitch levels during connected speech associated with oral contraceptive use.

Although the use of oral contraceptives among young women is common, there are relatively few data concerning the effect of such medication upon vocal function. This paper investigated differences in objective voice measures in young women taking a triphasic oral contraceptive compared to women not taking any such medication. The results of paired t-tests revealed no significant difference in vocal pitch levels or variability of pitch during a paragraph reading task, indicating that oral contraceptives have a negligible effect upon women's voices, at least during connected speech.

Integrating the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Core competencies into the model of the clinical practice of emergency medicine.

In response to public pressure for greater accountability from the medical profession, a transformation is occurring in the approach to medical education and assessment of physician competency. Over the past 5 years, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has implemented the Outcomes and General Competencies projects to better ensure that physicians are appropriately trained in the knowledge and skills of their specialties. Concurrently, the American Board of Medical Specialties, including the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM), has embraced the competency concept.